/ "HALANGERW. K 1 5 1 



zoological gardens, where, however, it is seldom seen, owing to 

 its nocturnal habits. It is of about the size and general build of 

 a small fox, whence its name. In the typical variety the colour 

 is gray, with a yellowish white belly, white ears, and a black tail. 

 This variety is a native of the greater part of the continent of 

 Australia, but is replaced in Tasmania by the closely allied Brown 

 Phalanger (var. fuliginosa). Its habits are very similar to those of 

 the Yellow-bellied Flying-Phalanger (Petaurus australis) described 

 below, except that it is unable to take the flying leaps of that animal. 

 Like all the other phalaugers, its flesh is freely eaten both by the 

 natives and the lower class of settlers. 



Psetudochirus} — The genus Psmdochirus agrees with the pre- 

 ceding in the absence of a flying membrane, and presents the 

 following leading characters. Size large or medium. Fur com- 

 paratively short and woolly. Ears medium or short, hairy 

 behind, although seldom closely furred over all this aspect. 

 Claws medium. Fore toes subequal, the first two distinctly 

 opposable to the other three. Soles of feet naked, with large, 

 striated, round pads, and hair beneath the heels. Tail tapering, 

 markedly prehensile, with its distal third and the whole of the 

 under surface short-haired ; tip naked underneath for a short 

 distance. Four marnmse. No gland on chest, Skull with larger 

 nasals than in the preceding genera; the posterior part of the 

 palate in most cases fully ossified, and the auditory bulla? generally 



somewhat inflated. Dentition (at most) i 2 , c — ^— , p ~, m -. 



Upper teeth nearly uniform in length, but the first incisor distinctly 

 longer than second. Upper premolars variable. Molars with both 

 inner and outer cusps distinctly crescentoid, and recalling those 

 of the Selenodont Artiodactyle Ungulates. 



Range. — Tasmania, Australia, and New Guinea. 



There are about ten species of this genus known, of which the 

 commonest is Cook's Ring-tailed Phalanger {Psmdochirus peregrinus), 

 an animal discovered by Captain Cook during his first voyage, at 

 Endeavour river, North Queensland. 



The complex and sub-selenodont character of the molars of this 

 and the folloAving genus readily distinguish them from the more 

 typical Phalaugers, and show an approximation to the type of 

 dentition prevailing in Phascolarctus ; according, however, to Mr. 

 0. Thomas, a tendency towards the same structure is observable 

 in unworn molars of young discuses. The genus may be divided 

 into three groups, of which the first, as typified by the common P. 

 peregrinus, is restricted to Australia and Tasmania, while the third, 

 as represented by P. canescens, is only found in New Guinea. P. 

 albertisi may be taken as the type of the second group, which is 



1 Ogilby, Proc. Zovl. Soc. 1836, p. 26. 



